


Reunion of Hearts

by NeonMidnightMod



Category: wrestling - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-10-21
Updated: 2009-10-21
Packaged: 2017-10-02 13:12:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeonMidnightMod/pseuds/NeonMidnightMod
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>PG-13; little bit of m/m, fluff.</p><p>Confession is good for the soul. Takes place immediately after the Rockers reunion match on Raw.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reunion of Hearts

**Author's Note:**

> Maintainer note: the author of this story is Nishia, fic originally archived with permission at Neon Midnight (geocities.com/dedicatedtotherockers)

by Nishia

 

Marty Jannetty practically flew through the curtains he was so high on adrenaline. It had felt so damn good to be back in the ring with Shawn. Sort of scary too, he had no idea how the fans would react to him or if any of them would even still remember him, but mainly it just felt good. After so many years, their friendship was back on track and now they were tagging again too, he felt like he was finally back home.

Shawn turned, his blue grey eyes sparkling and full of fun. He grinned at him and without saying a word, grabbed his elbow and started running, dragging Marty along behind him as he had done so many times in the past. At first the older man struggled to keep up, Shawn had taken him by surprise jumping back into an old behaviour like that but it was nice to know that Shawn still remembered those times fondly. It gave him a warm fuzzy feeling inside.

Slightly out of breath by the time they reached the dressing room, Marty collapsed against the door panting softly as he watched Shawn bounce and buzz about the room like it was 1988. He couldn't prevent a small chuckle from escaping his lips.

"What?" Shawn stopped his bouncing and stared at Marty with a small frown.

"Nothing, you're just such a big kid is all."

"Can't help it, I'm psyched." He grinned, somewhat manically. "Aaawww Man, that was such a rush."

"Yeah. It was wasn't it?" Marty grinned also, it was infectious.

"Shawn Michaels &amp; Marty Jannetty, together again, how could it not be?"

"Just like old times."

"Yeah. Just like old times, except we both still have all our clothes on."

Marty felt himself flush at Shawn's reference to the post match sex-fests they used to share. Quickly, he turned away, digging in his bag for anything really that would give him an excuse not to look at Shawn. The other man didn't seem to notice any change in his demeanour, much to Marty's relief, he just returned to talking and bouncing leaving Marty to wonder why he'd reacted the way he had.

It wasn't that he wanted Shawn still, though for a long time after their now famous split he'd been unable to stop wanting. Maybe it was just that they didn't have that sort of relationship anymore. They were friends now and Marty wanted to keep it that way. On the other hand, maybe it still hurt to know that the feelings he'd had for Shawn back then had never been returned.

Whatever the reason, he was sure his life would be much easier if he forgot certain things, though he had a feeling it wasn't going to be that easy.

Shawn continued to talk for what seemed like hours, to Marty, to numerous visitors and congratulators, even on his cell phone to Cam who though Uncle Marty was even cooler than Daddy, but Marty remained more or less silent the whole time. Eventually Shawn tired of the sound of his own voice.

"Hey!" He called across the room, startling Marty who was still trying not to remember. "You okay Bud, you're awful quiet."

"Yeah, I'm okay. I was just thinkin' that's all."

"About what?" Marty chewed his bottom lip nervously and averted his eyes from Shawn who was now standing right in front of him. He didn't want to tell him what he was really thinking about, but he couldn't bring himself to lie.

"Just stuff. Mostly about the way things used to be." He answered softly.

"Oh." Shawn's face changed. His eyes became suddenly serious and he sat down on a nearby bench, gesturing to Marty to join him. Marty hesitated for a moment then sat down. "That crack I made earlier, about us still having our clothes on, I didn't mean anything by it. You know that right? I wasn't trying to hint that we should…you know, it just sort of came out and once I'd said it I couldn't take it back without making myself look like an ass and…I'm sorry. I should have though before I opened my big mouth. It means a lot to me that we have our friendship back. I don't wanna lose you again Marty."

Shawn hung his head, a little embarrassed but Marty smiled softly at him. So Shawn was as scared as he was. It was actually sort of sweet.

"I don't wanna lose you either. I'm just so glad to have you back in my life Shawn and I've been trying so hard not to screw it all up again."

"Me too. I guess maybe we've both been trying too hard huh? We've kinda been avoiding the past haven't we, pretending it didn't happen? But it did. We used to mean something to each other and just because we've both moved on doesn't mean we should forget. I don't wanna forget what we had."

And the truth was, Marty didn't either. As much as it had sometimes hurt, he cherished his memories of Shawn.

"I couldn't forget if I tried." He whispered. "And believe me, I did try, but…" He paused briefly, uncertainly. "It's true what they say you know. You never do forget your first love."

Shawn didn't react at first. It was almost as if he hadn't heard, but after several moments he stared up at Marty, his head cocked to one side and a frown creasing his brow.

"You loved me?" He said, his voice thick with wonderment. Marty gave a tiny, shallow nod. "I didn't know that. You never told me."

"No. I didn't."

"Why?"

"I was scared I guess."

"Of me?"

"Kind of." Marty sighed. He knew in his heart why he'd kept his feelings to himself back then but he wasn't sure if he could put his reasons into words, at least not words that made sense to Shawn. He wasn't even sure he could make sense of them himself anymore. "You were so young back then Shawn. We both were. Just kids. We still had our whole lives ahead of us, our careers were taking off and… Neither of us were ready for more than what we had." That wasn't completely true. Marty had been ready, Shawn had been everything to him and if he'd thought for one minute that Shawn had returned his feelings nothing would have stopped him. But Shawn hadn't returned his feelings. "We were so good together, we made each other happy, made each other laugh. It was fun. I didn't wanna lose that. I was scared that if you knew how I felt, it would change things between us, that you'd get scared and back off."

Shawn's lips curled into a sad smile and he nodded his understanding. Marty felt a huge surge of relief at that. Sub-consciously he'd always worried that his secret had been the cause of the rift between them. Now that it was out in the open he was more confident that they could make their friendship work this time.

"Come on." He said, lightly smacking Shawn on the shoulder and jumping to his feet. "We should get cleaned up." Shawn didn't move and Marty was halfway across the room before a shaky voice whispered…

"I loved you too."

At first, Marty was sure he was hearing things. Shawn couldn't possibly have said what he thought he'd just said. Could he? He spun round. Shawn was still seated, his hands fisted in his lap and his head hung low.

"What?"

"I loved you too." He had said it, but he couldn't mean it. Shawn looked up at that point, his eyes glittering with emotion, and suddenly Marty knew it was true. Shawn really had loved him. Unsure how he should react to this revelation he plopped himself back down on the bench beside Shawn., listening in silence as Shawn now tried to explain his own reasons. "I didn't say anything because I figured all you were interested in was the sex. You were older than me, you been in relationships before, I thought if you wanted more you'd tell me, but you never did so… It was hard. I wanted to tell you so many times but I was sure you'd laugh at me and tell me it was just a crush, or worse, you were flattered but you weren't looking to settle down just yet and maybe we should stop seeing each other. You were everything to me Marty, I couldn't have stood that, I just couldn't so I decided my best chance of hanging on to you was to act like it was just sex for me too."

Shawn's confession made Marty's blood run cold. He realised now that his silence had caused the younger man untold pain,. He'd been so afraid of having his own heart broken that he'd unwittingly broken Shawn's. He hated himself for that.

"I'm sorry Shawn. I never wanted to hurt you." Shawn looked up then and their eyes locked. A single tear trickled down Marty's cheek and Shawn reached up, brushing it away with the pad of his thumb. The gentle caress made Marty's heart race and his body tremble. He'd thought he was over Shawn, he truly had. Until this very moment he'd believed that all he wanted from Shawn now was his friendship but it was obvious now that he'd been deluding himself, he had been for a very long time.

"I know you didn't. I never meant to hurt you either."

"I…I..." Marty stuttered. He wanted to tell Shawn that nothing had changed, that he felt the same way now as he had in back then but he was too overcome with emotion to speak and though his mouth was opening and closing, no sound was coming out.

"Don't say anything yet. I'm not finished." Shawn had more to say? "I, promised myself I wouldn't do this. Ever. I was never going to tell you how I felt, I didn't think it would do either of us any good but now… I was wrong, keeping secrets hurt us both and I won't do it anymore. It's been a long time, a lot of shit's passed between us and I have no right to even hope you might still feel the same way. I know it's too late to ask for a second chance but I have to tell you the truth anyway." He paused, allowing Marty a few seconds to calm his thundering nerves. "I still love you Marty. I don't think I ever stopped. I tried, I tried so hard, even managed to kid myself for a while. Becca knew, it's why she left me. It took a while before I could see it for myself but I see it now, so clearly. It's always been you Marty, no one else even came close."

With is mind still reeling from Shawn's declaration, Marty found coherent thought hard to achieve and speech even harder, but eventually he was able to mumble a broken…

"I don't know what to say."

"Just say you forgive me for being such an ass all these years."

"Only if you forgive me too."

"It's a done deal." Shawn chuckled softly, his smile lighting up his eyes for just a second before he became serious again. "So, we still friends?"

"I don't know. I think…I think I'd like us to be more than that. Maybe you don't have the right to hope I still feel the same way, but I do anyway.. I love you Shawn, just as much as I ever did. It's not too late for us. It can't be."

He leant forward, gently pressing his lips to Shawn's in a kiss so slow and sweet and heartfelt that both men could almost feel their wounds healing. An affirmation of a love that would not die. A reunion of hearts, thirteen years in waiting.

 

The End


End file.
